Kerry to meet China's foreign minister to discuss Syria, North Korea

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at a news conference after a meeting with his British and French counterparts regarding Syria, at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris September 16, 2013.

Reuters/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will host China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a meeting and working lunch on Thursday at which Syria and North Korea will be discussed, the State Department said on Monday.

"While this meeting has been planned for some time, we do expect the secretary and foreign minister to discuss current issues, such as the DPRK (North Korea) and Syria," spokeswoman Marie Harf told a regular news briefing.

China has welcomed a deal reached by the United States and Russia to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.